Unfortunately, that bout didn't come to fruition after Cruz badly injured his knee (having to have both his ACL and MCL repaired through surgery) during training. It was later announced that Faber would take on highly touted Brazilian prodigy Renan Barao for the interim Bantamweight Championship belt at UFC 149 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on July 21, 2012.

Faber isn't taking him lightly, based on his past level of competition, but he also feels like he's fought tougher:

I've definitely fought better fighters, but the guy's got the championship mentality. There's no doubt about that. This is gonna be his toughest test, but he's not gonna be my toughest test.

I was picking Berao anyway but this is good to hear..Too bad Faber peaked in the WEC when the talent was thinner. Faber probably had a better shot at beating Cruz because Berao is a nightmare match for him and also a future champion.

Was high on Barao, but the Scotty fight kind of lowered that as I thought he would be more dominate. Then looking at how Scotty got blasted by Wineland and Barao didn't do much after dismantling Pickett.

Not that I'm convinced that its going to happen but I will take some satisfaction if Faber dominates Barao just because of how much hate, and how little credit he gets these days. I understand some people don't like his personality and how he always finds himself fast tracked to title shots, I have never considered myself a fan but I can appreciate that I can't remember a single boring fight with him and that he broke one hand and injured the other in the first round of his rematch with Mike Brown and kept fighting with pretty much only elbows and sub attempts. Its fine not to care for his attitude, whatever but you can't deny that he is still a great fighter and one tough SOB.

While this kinda comes off as insulting to Barao, its hard to argue against. Barao's toughest opponents were Pickett and Jorgenson who aren't even really comparable to Faber who was previously a reigning Zuffa champion, has a win over the current BW champ, and even in his recent loss against the same gave Cruz a helluva fight. Conversely, its hard to argue that even when Renan is at his best he looks better than Aldo or Cruz.

I have never been a big fan of Faber. He is a great fighter but I do not like his personality. Arrogance usually does not bother me, but in Faber's case it does bother me. I will be rooting for Barao in this fight. Faber's best weapon is his wrestling/ground control. I believe he has lost some of his fights because he has delusions that he is an elite striker which he is not.

I have never been a big fan of Faber. He is a great fighter but I do not like his personality. Arrogance usually does not bother me, but in Faber's case it does bother me. I will be rooting for Barao in this fight. Faber's best weapon is his wrestling/ground control. I believe he has lost some of his fights because he has delusions that he is an elite striker which he is not.

He has good speed and movement to strike with but at this weight that is the standard.